Wittenberg seating this summer; Astor Place plazas in two years

Some ideas for how new seating and tables, a kiosk and planters could be arranged on Ruth Wittenberg Triangle.

BY LINCOLN ANDERSON | From a new seating area to expansive plazas, a lot is in store for the Village Alliance business improvement district’s coverage area, which stretches from Eighth St. and Sixth Ave. over to St. Mark’s Place and Second Ave.

At the BID district’s western end, at the intersection of Sixth and Greenwich Aves. and Christopher Sts., the alliance plans to spruce up Ruth Wittenberg Triangle, which Bill Kelley, the alliance’s executive director, said they are dubbing the “Village Gateway.”

(In a historical aside, after the Sixth Ave. El was torn down in 1938, The Villager tried with all its might to redub that intersection “Village Square.” But the name never took.)

The BID plans to add seven or eight small tables with two chairs each to the small traffic island named for the legendary Village activist who helped get the Jefferson Market Library and other buildings landmarked. They’ll also add a couple of new planters and an information kiosk. The $20,000 project is fully funded, and it’s expected the more user-friendly plaza will be ready to go by July 1.

Zoning on Eighth St. and much of Sixth Ave. doesn’t allow sidewalk cafes, which is partly behind the idea of setting up tables and chairs here, Kelley explained.

Community Board 2 approved the idea, but veteran board member Doris Diether did pointedly note, “That’s a pretty small triangle.”

Meanwhile, a few blocks to the east, work is already underway on a $16 million, city-funded, reconstruction of Astor Place and Cooper Square. A lot of work is currently being done underground to reposition utility lines and pipes to allow the aboveground changes. Among those, the subway-stop triangle will be tripled in size and renamed “Astor Plaza,” while, to the south, a similar built-out area in front of Grace Church High School (which is just outside of the alliance’s district) will be dubbed “Cooper Plaza.” Also, Astor Place will be permanently closed between “The Cube” sculpture and the block downtown of it, creating yet another new plaza area. All the work is slated to be done by the end of 2015.

One neighbor expressed concern that there are plans for lots of programming on Astor Plaza, too much, in his view. He was particularly worried about “Red Bull”-type events. Kelley said he guessed there might be 50 events per year, mostly in the warmer months.

“We don’t want it overprogrammed,” he said, adding that the BID would focus on things like kids’ activities or a lunchtime concert series there. So-called “Red Bull”-type events would come from the city, not the alliance, he said.

Jim Power, the “Mosaic Man,” called The Villager to say he is worried that the area’s reconstruction will jeopardize part of his famed “Mosaic Trail” of broken-tile-encrusted lampposts.

“Yes, the light poles throughout Astor Place will be replaced with a new style of energy-efficient LED light that requires new poles to be installed,” Kelley told us. “I have spoken with the Department of Transportation and Department of Design and Construction about the disposition of the old decorated poles, and we all agree that, although not officially sanctioned, they do contribute to the historic streetscape and character of Astor Place.

“I believe that they will be salvaged and stored safely with the city until a process is determined for any future display or reuse,” Kelley said of the posts decorated by Power. “I am very optimistic that a good solution can be found to commemorate the Mosaic Trail through Astor Place.”

A $16 million project to expand existing and create new plaza areas, as well as add new trees, at Astor Place and Cooper Square is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2015.

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